PRESS RELEASE: 7th NOVEMBER 2019

A capacity audience attended the Marine Tech Transformers event on 1st November, hosted by Marine-i at Heartlands, Pool. The aim was to showcase the award-winning technologies, products for global markets, and cutting-edge industry and research collaborations which have been supported by Marine-i.

Part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Marine-i was designed to help the marine tech sector in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly grow through harnessing the full potential of research and innovation.

Prof Lars Johanning of University of Exeter, lead partner for Marine-i, highlighted the key achievements of the project. These include supporting 100 Cornish businesses with market-led RD&I, providing grant support to 61 innovation projects, helping bring 14 new products to market, and leveraging £1.25 million in private match funding. He says:

“Marine-i has helped to transform marine technology innovation in Cornwall. The county now has the potential to play a pivotal role in the sustainable marine industries of the future, including marine energy, marine manufacturing, maritime operations and marine environmental technologies. Cornwall is becoming recognised as a world player in these important growth technologies.”

Delegates saw a new Marine-i video showing the exciting breadth and scope of marine innovation that has emerged from Cornwall over the life of the project. See the video here.

After this there were presentations from eight of the innovative marine businesses who have received support, alongside Business Research fellows from University of Exeter and University of Plymouth.

Delegates then viewed a special Marine-i Showcase Exhibition, featuring some of the new marine technologies in development. Commenting this highly successful event, Prof Lars Johanning says:

“Marine-i has been a powerful catalyst for innovation and has proven that there is huge ambition among marine businesses in Cornwall to develop pioneering solutions to worldwide challenges. Marine-i has helped create an environment where innovative marine businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly now have a much greater chance of long-term success. That is our legacy and we look forward to seeing these foundations being built upon.”

Marine-i has produced a special Marine Tech Transformers brochure telling the story of the work that has been done to accelerate marine technology innovation in Cornwall from 2017 to 2019, with profiles of 75 of the Cornish marine businesses that have been involved. You can download a copy here.